The U-14 team skipper’s star status notwithstanding, she was seen celebrating the win along with her teammates, like any other young footballer. Moments later she spoke to MiD DAY about the win, her love for football and her star father’s influence in her life.

“Dad is a self-made man and he wants us also to be like that. He has always been supportive of whatever my brother Aryan and me have done. I have spoken to him about what I want to be when I grow up. He wants me to study acting and dabble with both Indian and international cinema. After finishing school, I plan to go abroad, possibly America to learn acting and become like dad one day,” Suhana said after the title triumph yesterday.

Under her leadership, the team also finished runner-up in the District Sports Office (DSO) inter-school football tournament recently, where Suhana scored three goals. In the MSSA event too, she contributed with a goal besides providing four assists. The Class VII student admitted to being daddy’s girl. “My father means a lot to me. I can talk to him on any subject like a friend and that’s what I love about him the most,” she said.

On her introduction to sport as a kid, the 13-year-old said it was her parents (SRK and mum Gauri) who encouraged her to take to outdoor activities.

“I started learning taekwondo after watching my brother. Later, I started participating in inter-school athletic meets. I started playing football only three years. But it’s football that I love the most. “I don’t watch football on television. I don’t have any favourite players either. I just love playing the sport. When I first started playing football, I just took it up as a one-off thing. But later, I started enjoying the competition and took keen interest in it. “I would love to continue being associated with the sport even when I grow up to be an actor,” added Suhana.